


The Future Is Now

by jacaranda_bloom



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5 Things, 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bottom Louis, Carnivals, Domestic Bliss, Emotional Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Fortune Telling, Friends to Lovers, Harry likes to look after Louis, Idiots in Love, M/M, Magic, Oblivious Louis, Sharing a Bed, Top Harry, flatmates, patient harry, uni students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:29:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28782009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacaranda_bloom/pseuds/jacaranda_bloom
Summary: Louis has a great life, really, he does. He studies hard, has great friends, a boring but decent job at the carnival, and of course, he has Harry, the best flatmate anyone could ask for. All that’s missing is someone to love. But when a strange new fortune-telling machine appears at the carnival, Louis’ life takes an unexpected turn. Could this be his chance to finally find love and will it be where he least expects it?Or the five times Louis follows the fortunes to seek out his true love, and the one time he realises that what he's been searching for might've been right in front of him the whole time.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 32
Kudos: 283
Collections: 5 Times 1D Fic Fest





	The Future Is Now

**Author's Note:**

> Hi and thanks for dropping by to check out my little story, I hope you like it.
> 
> This fic was written for the [1D Five Times Fest](https://1d5xfest.tumblr.com/). Make sure you check out all the other great fics in the collection which can be found [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/5Times_1D_Fic_Fest/profile/)!
> 
> The commissioned cover artwork for this fic was created by the immensely talented Tanya (aka wilywolf). Please go and show them some love on [ Tumblr ](https://wilywolf.tumblr.com/) and [ Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/wilywolf92/).
> 
> The lovely little fortunes were produced by the wonderful and always generous Isa, [ whenthebodiesspeak](https://whenthebodiesspeak.tumblr.com/) \- thank you! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome - they make me so happy and I appreciate them greatly. xx

Louis blows over the top of his tea, steam rising into the air as he clutches it tightly in his cold hands. The sea is angry today, waves crashing into the pylons that sink deep into the sandy bottom, sturdily holding the jetty and keeping the carnival attractions from a watery demise.

He glances down at his phone on the bench beside him, finding that he’s still got another ten minutes left on his break. He should’ve made better use of his time, really, and done their grocery shopping, but a cuppa and a sit down in the open air held too much of an appeal for him to do the sensible thing; he’ll just grab them on the way home. 

Harry had given him a relatively short list, as usual, just some veggies and noodles for their traditional Wednesday night stir fry. He’s like a magician in the kitchen, conjuring up amazing meals from barely any ingredients, much to Louis’ delight. Louis can swing a spatula, of course, if the need arises, not that it often does, and he prides himself on being able to make mean cheese toastie. Harry loves to cook though, and Louis loves to let him, and Louis does the shopping and cleans up afterwards; it’s a perfect match.

When they’d met during their first year of Uni, they’d hit it off immediately, similar senses of humour and laid back attitudes making them perfect flatmates. They just, kind of, fit. Harry’s a morning person and gets the coffee going while Louis drags himself out of bed. Harry cooks, Louis cleans. Harry is creative, while Louis is more analytical so their Uni assignments are a breeze. They’ve got a great thing going and Louis is so thankful to have Harry as his best mate.

Now he just needs to find a boyfriend and his life will be complete.

He drains the last of his tea and dumps the empty cup into the recycling bin, pocketing his phone and grabbing his backpack before heading back to the ticket booth. It’s an easy job, decent money for what it is, and flexible enough that he can study when it’s quiet. He can play his own music and the customers aren’t too much of a bother, mostly happy to be at the carnival and enjoying a day at the seaside. 

He punches the code in and the door of the tiny booth squeaks open. “Hey, Franny. All good?”

Franny turns around, her long, violet hair swooshing across her back. “Hey, Lou. Yeah, no issues,” she says and gets to her feet, grabbing her bag off the floor and swinging it over her shoulder. 

Louis holds the door open and bids her farewell. “See you Friday?”

“Yup! Catch you for your morning break. Have a good night!”

“You too, love,” Louis says as she passes him and makes her way down the boardwalk to relieve the next worker.

Louis slides into the seat and stretches his leg out, retrieving his phone and setting it on the desk, peering out at the crowds as they wander up and down. Families and couples, groups of teenagers, Uni students, all rugged up against the cold and happily enjoying the rays of sunshine that are fighting their way through the cloudy skies.

His phone pings with a WhatsApp alert and he glances down at the screen. Harry needs some soy sauce for dinner so he adds it to the running list in his head. He taps on the notification and types in a thumbs-up emoji and then opens Spotify, picking a playlist for the rest of his shift before pulling out his laptop to get back to his studies.

The rest of the afternoon passes quickly, customers coming and going, bright smiles on the faces of the children and grown-ups alike. Grace arrives bang on time to take over from him at five and he packs up his gear, before heading out for his walk to the shops and then home. 

The skies have turned grey and threatening, signalling that a storm is on its way and Louis just hopes he makes it home before it hits. 

The sounds of the carnival surround him, squeals of delight and laughter filling the damp air as he strides down the boardwalk towards the exit. It’s a path he’s walked hundreds of times and he knows it like the back of his hand. He moves through the crowd quickly, past the gaming arcade, the dodgem car pavilion, the teacup ride, and the Ferris wheel. Just as he’s about to emerge from Lucky Lane, a blur of colour catches his eye off to the left. He slows his pace and turns, finding an odd contraption backed up against the wall of the Clown Game stall.

Louis frowns, tilting his head in curiosity. He knows all the games, but this one is new.

As he approaches the first thing that strikes him is that it’s an older style game, a dark wooden cabinet at the bottom with a glass box on top. _Divinando_ , he reads on the front, the paintwork for the lettering slightly peeling in places. Behind the glass is a wheel, segmented into colourful slices with strange symbols at the outer edge of each one.

He stops in front, peering inside to see if he can decipher how it works. Finding no useful instructions, which in itself is odd, he pulls his phone from his pocket and googles the word. Divinando means fortune-telling in Latin. Interesting.

He steps back, looking for a hint of some kind, but finds nothing. It doesn’t even seem to have a ticket slot. There are two buttons on the front but as he goes to reach for one, the machine comes to life, the colourful wheel starting to spin, lights flashing on the sides. A melody plays, something he doesn’t recognize, as a message starts to appear on the circular screen at the centre of the wheel. The words are blurred, coming in and out of focus like they’re drifting out of a fog until they still long enough for him to decipher them.

_What does your future hold?_

“Aren’t you supposed to tell me that?” Louis muses out loud.

He’s never been one for believing in magic or mystical things, not really, but then again, he’d never discount what he doesn’t know. 

The screen clears and a new question materializes.

_Fortune or love?_

The words vanish and then each one reappears, the buttons on the front of the machine lighting up in turn, he assumes by way of indicating which one he should press to answer the question.

Louis’ last relationship had crashed and burned, Justin’s wandering hands and eyes too much for Louis to take. But he hasn’t given up hope of finding someone to couple up with, to spend his downtime with, to curl up with. Images flash through his mind of cold winters nights spent curled up on the couch watching reruns of their favourite shows, lazing in bed, cooking together, soft smiles and languid kisses.

“Alright,” he says and pushes the button on the right. _Love_. He chuckles to himself imaging what Harry would say if he was here. Mr Logical would probably think this was ridiculous, far too sensible and scientifically driven for these types of things. But Louis likes to think he’s open to more, besides, you never know what is going to lead you to your true love.

He presses the button and stands back, waiting to see what will happen.

The screen blacks out before a new phrase appears.

_Seek and you shall find._

The machine emits a low whirring sound, then, a small door flips down between the buttons and a box slides out, the lid popping open to reveal a rolled piece of paper with a string tie wrapped around it. He takes the scroll and the box closes, drawn back inside and the door shuts, all signs of activity ceasing, the game apparently having come to an end.

“So bizarre,” Louis says and unties the string, straightening out the thin strip of paper.

_Love can bring you shelter._

Huh. What the fuck does that even mean?

He shakes his head and takes his wallet out of his back pocket, sliding the piece of paper inside for safekeeping. Not that he thinks anything will come of it, but you never know. 

A low rumble of thunder rolls across the sky above and he spins around, back on his path toward the exit.

It’s just starting to sprinkle as he makes his way into the grocery shop so he races around and grabs everything he needs as fast as he can. By the time he’s done and walking back out, it’s coming down harder, not enough for him to stay where he is, but enough to have him wishing he hadn’t stopped and wasted precious minutes at that fortune-telling machine. 

The cars are whooshing past, kicking up water from the puddles and spraying it onto the narrow footpath. He hasn’t got far to go, only another five minutes or so, but the last bit is mainly out in the open as he crosses the park so he’s going to get drenched. A bolt of lightning streaks across the sky followed almost immediately by a thunderous roar and that’s when the heavens really open up.

He spies a bus shelter up ahead and makes a beeline for it, tucking himself in the corner and setting his groceries down on the seat. He really should invest in an umbrella he muses as another man barrels into the shelter, panting and shaking off his jacket.

“Lovely day,” Louis offers in greeting. 

The man looks up from under his damp fringe and smiles broadly, deep brown eyes and a knowing smirk on his handsome face. “Yeah,” he chuckles softly, pushing his hair back up and off his forehead. “Think I might work on my tan later.”

Louis returns his smile, butterflies taking flight in his stomach. This guy is bloody gorgeous, about Louis’ age and a similar height. “Mmmm… perfect weather for a stroll on the beach.”

“I’m Hayden,” the man says, extending his hand. Louis takes it in his and squeezes gently feeling a firm grip in response. Nice.

“Louis,” he offers, dropping their joined hands. “Guess we’re stuck here for a bit.”

“Guess so.” Hayden looks out at the scene before them and Louis follows his gaze, rain coming down in buckets and darkness descending over them.

 _Love can bring you shelter._ The slip of paper in his wallet suddenly feels like it’s burning a hole through his trousers. Louis is in a shelter and now this random hot guy turns up. It’s surely just a coincidence but Louis is never one to look a gift horse in the mouth or deny fate, so he decides to roll with it.

Five minutes of witty back-and-forth banter later and Louis is starting to think Hayden could have some definite boyfriend potential. He’s smart and funny, has a lovely smile, good teeth and dresses well, plus seems to be able to keep up with Louis, which is no easy task.

He’s about to move the conversation towards a possible date, or at least an exchange of numbers, when a car pulls up, bursting their little bubble.

“Ah, that’s my boyfriend,” Hayden says as he picks up his bag. “Can we give you a ride somewhere?”

Louis just smiles and shakes his head, covering his disappointment as best he can. “Nah, thanks though. You have a good evening.”

“Thanks, you too. It was lovely talking to you, Louis.”

“Same,” Louis says with a wave as Hayden darts out and jumps into the car, driving away and leaving Louis alone.

He slumps down on the seat and closes his eyes, head thudding back against the wall. God. He really needs to stop being so desperately hopeful all the time.

He vaguely registers another car slowing down nearby but he doesn’t move, happy to wallow in his foolish embarrassment for a bit longer until the toot of a horn makes him look up. 

Harry’s familiar beat-up red Honda comes into view and then stops, the window winding down just enough to see Harry’s bright smiling face.

Louis has the best friend in the entire world.

“Excuse me, sir,” Harry says in his trademark deep drawl. “I was wondering if you'd seen my friend? Piercing blue eyes, winning smile, great arse, and a bizarre aversion to umbrellas.”

Louis rolls his eyes and stands, grabbing the groceries and his backpack and darting over to the car as Harry opens the door from inside so Louis can slide right in. He slams the door shut and dumps the bags on the floor, putting his seatbelt on and brushing the excess water off his face. He flicks it at Harry to wipe the smug off his face.

Harry pouts, making Louis’ favourite frog face. “Heeeeyyyy… is that all the thanks I get for coming and saving your arse?”

“Thought you liked my arse?” 

“Hmmmm… alright. Maybe.”

Harry drives off, the windscreen wipers squeaking and squealing as they work overtime. He really needs a new car. “Thanks for coming and picking me up though. Proper nice of you. How did you know where I was?”

Harry just shrugs his shoulder. “Figured you wouldn’t have taken an umbrella so I just drove along the route from the shops to the flat in the hopes that I’d find you. So, how was your day?”

Louis recounts his day at work, along with some more interesting anecdotes about customers. It’s on the tip of his tongue to tell him about the Divinando, but he thinks better of it, Harry would probably only tell him how silly those sorts of things are anyway. He does tell him about Hayden though, trying to make light of the bit where he thought he’d make good boyfriend material, embarrassed enough that he misread the situation.

“Oh well,” Harry says as he pulls into the underground garage. “There’s someone out there for you, Lou, you’ve just got to be patient.”

“Just take a leaf out of your book, yeah?”

“Yup!” Harry says, popping the ‘p’. Harry hasn’t really dated that many people since they’ve known each other. He claims he wants to focus on his studies and that he doesn’t need the distraction. According to Harry, Louis is enough of a distraction for him on a daily basis, which Louis vehemently disagrees with. He’s a goddamn treat to have around. It’s hard to be grumpy about it though, as Harry always says it with such fondness.

They head up into the flat and Harry gets to work in the kitchen while Louis strips out of his wet clothes and showers.

They take their dinners into the lounge room, steaming bowls of stir fry held against their chests as they watch the next episode of a Danish mystery series they’ve both become obsessed with. Stomachs full, they lay down on the couch and top and tail it for another episode, a fluffy blanket over their legs as they settle in for a quiet night, just like so many others that have come before.

When Louis drifts off to sleep in his bed that night, he’s full and happy and relaxed after a perfect evening, images of the Divinando seeping into his dreams.

~*~

“Here’s your tickets,” Louis says brightly as he slides the long string across the counter and through the little hole in the window, followed by a map of the Carnival. “Have a great time!”

“Thanks, we will,” the woman says with a broad smile, handing the map to her daughter before they head off to enjoy the attractions.

His phone pings with a notification and he glances down to see it’s Niall in their group chat, aptly named _Pints R Us_ with a double beer emoji at the end just in case it wasn’t already abundantly clear. They’ve got a big night planned for Liam’s birthday and it looks like Niall is already there with the birthday boy getting an early start. Louis is itching to get there. It’s been a long week and he’s thirsty and ready to dance the night away. He’s got a lot of study to do over the weekend for a big exam next week, but he’s giving himself a pass tonight. He really needs to let loose and shake off the study fatigue.

He’d held off on going back to the Divinando for a few days for reasons he can’t quite fathom, but his curiosity had peaked on his way back from lunch and he’d caved.

It had been the same weird process, no ticket required, the same questions and the same result; a long strip of paper with a printed phrase.

_With blue you search, in green you are found._

He’d spent the afternoon noticing every blue and green thing in the vicinity; a woman with a green shirt and a blue baseball cap, a guy in his sixties eating a bag of green and blue candy floss, and a couple with green and blue face paint which he still can’t muster an explanation for. But as much as Louis likes to think he’s open-minded to finding love—wherever it may be—women, old men, and polyamory aren’t really his thing.

Franny comes into the booth five minutes early, which is a welcome surprise, and she ushers him out with wishes for a good weekend.

He races home to an empty flat, Harry stuck on the closing shift at the cafe so he’ll be a bit late. Louis dresses in his tightest black jeans, the ones that accentuate his curves and pairs them with his come-fuck-me shirt, a maroon scoop neck that hangs just right and shows off his collarbones. He spends far too long feathering his fringe, standing in front of the mirror until his arms hurt. But once he’s done he feels good, confident, and ready to meet Mr Green-and-Blue.

It’s probably silly, he thinks to himself as he slips on his jacket and pockets his phone, wallet and keys. The machine doesn’t have any magic, future-telling abilities, but it’s kind of fun to have this little game to play with himself. 

The walk to the pub isn’t far, but it’s a cool night so he flips up his collar and tucks his hands in his pockets. A warm wall of air wafts over him as steps over the threshold and he’s met with a rowdy reception, Niall and Liam already well on their way to tipsy, raising their beers in welcome as Louis slides into their booth.

“Aye up, lads!” Louis says and grabs the jug to pour himself a beer. He’ll switch to something stronger later on but he always likes to have a few rounds of ale before he changes it up. 

“Lou! How the bloody hell are you?” Liam slurs, eyes glassy and cheeks red.

“I see someone’s enjoying their birthday.”

“I am!” Liam shouts, apparently already at the stage where he has only one volume.

“Where’s your better half then?” Niall asks with a wink.

“Oi! Enough of that. _I’m_ the better half of our friendship and don’t you ever forget it you Irish git,” Louis says accusingly and kicks Niall under the table, missing and connecting with Liam’s shin instead.

“Oooouch,” Liam whines dramatically. 

“Sorry, Li,” Louis says and pats his hand in apology before turning back to Niall. “Anyway, Haz had to close up so he’s coming straight from work. Should be here soon though.”

Louis shrugs out of his jacket and he doesn’t miss the once-over Niall gives him, and even if he had, the wolf-whistle he earns would’ve been enough to catch his attention. “Oooohhhh, someone’s on the pull tonight. Got your come-fuck-me shirt on I see,” Niall says, giving him an exaggerated wink.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. These are just my regular clothes,” Louis says and takes a long sip of his beer, eyes smiling mischievously at Niall over the rim of his glass.

“Nu-ah,” Liam says, waggling a finger in Louis’ direction. “That’s the special powers shirt.” 

“Oh really? It’s got magical properties does it, Li?”

“Mhmmm… surprised you haven’t been whisked away already.”

“Well, here’s hoping,” Louis says and reaches for his beer. “I could do with getting laid.”

“A toast!” Niall yells and they all raise their glasses in readiness. “To getting Liam smashed and getting Louis laid.”

They all clink their glasses and take a drink. 

“Who’s getting laid?” Harry asks as he slides in beside Louis, already reaching for the jug of beer before his arse has even hit the seat.

“Louis, apparently,” Niall offers helpfully.

“Oooooh the come-fuck-me shirt,” Harry says as his eyes scan Louis torso. “Nice choice. Ten pounds says I’m the only one who’s going to see him strip out of that tonight after I drag his drunk arse into the flat.”

Louis turns and gasps, slapping his hand to chest his in mock offense. “I _beg_ your pardon!”

“Nope!” Liam says gleefully, reaching over and extending his hand to Harry. “Louis is on a mission. I’ll take that bet.”

Harry chuckles and shakes Liam’s hand. “Done.” 

Three more jugs of beer and Louis has had enough. He feels bloated and heavy and has had to break the seal already, so he decides it’s time to switch to spirits, or more correctly, cocktails. On Friday and Saturday nights, the pub transforms into part pub, part club, and one end of the bar is set aside for cocktails. They have all the standard ones you’d expect, plus a range delicious fruity and colourful concoctions that are right up Louis’ alley.

He slides up to the bar, eyeing the menu on the wall, and settles on a Blue Lagoon, one of his favourites, and waits to get the bartender's attention.

“Hi there,” a voice says from beside him. Louis pastes on his most sultry smile and turns to find a relatively good looking guy standing there. He’s got too much product in his hair and Louis is already getting his cologne lodged in his nostrils, so much so that he can practically taste it on his tongue, but he’s on a mission—as Liam so eloquently put it—so he’s open to opportunities.

“Hi yourself,” Louis says with a grin.

“I’m Sean.”

“Louis,” he says, giving the guy, Sean, his best come hither look. It must do the trick because he smirks back at him.

“Can I buy you a _cock_ tail, Louis?”

Oh. He’s going to be one of those guys. Shame. He had potential, albeit briefly. At least Louis might get a drink and maybe a dance out of him before he sends him on his way. It’s not that Louis is opposed to puns, Harry is a master at them, after all, but the way this guy said it had more than a hint of sleaziness in his tone. 

The bartender comes up as if on cue. “What can I get you guys?”

“I’ll have a Green Lantern, thanks,” Sean says, sliding up and pressing against Louis’ side. “And he’ll have…”

“A Blue Lagoon,” Louis finishes for him.

The words permeate into his brain. Green. Blue. _With blue you search, with green you are found._ Oh. Oh!

Maybe Louis was too quick to judge this guy. What if he’s the love of his life and he was going to dismiss him because of a lame joke? Perhaps Sean is just nervous. 

After three more Blue Lagoon’s Louis is well and truly drunk, loose and pliable, grinding on the dance floor as the music thrums in his veins. Sean is plastered to his back, hands roaming everywhere and really, Louis should be feeling something, _anything_. But he isn’t. He’s getting tired, his shirt is stuck to his back, and his jeans are uncomfortably tight, but not in the good way. Sadly, Sean has yet to win him over. He’s not funny, even though he thinks he is, his cologne is wearing off and he smells weird, and his attempts at dirty talk are woeful. 

Louis can see across the dance floor to where Liam is currently being propped up by Niall in a valiant effort not to let him face plant on the floor. Harry is flailing around not far from them, utterly in his element as he holds court with a group of women on a hens night, spinning and dipping them, and wearing the hot pink veil on his head. He looks ridiculous and Louis realises through the alcohol haze that he would much rather be over there having fun and dancing with his best mate than here, getting groped by this guy who he simply can’t muster any interest in. 

“Wanna head out?” Sean murmurs in his ear, his lips and hot breath sending a shiver down his spine, but not for the reasons Louis would’ve hoped. There’s just no spark, not even enough for a quick blow job in the loos or a one night stand to be added to his list of other regrettable one night stands. The mere thought has his stomach clenching.

He glances over to Harry and, as if sensing Louis’ predicament, he looks up, eyes locking on like a tractor beam. The strobe lights flash across his face, green eyes shining brightly, his beaming smile fading slightly as he must register Louis’ internal turmoil. He takes off the veil and places it on the head of who Louis assumes is the bride to be, bidding them farewell with a final twirl before weaving his way through the crowd. 

“Ready to go, Lou?” Harry shouts over the swell of the music. 

“Nah, mate. He’s coming with me,” Sean yells confidently, hands gripping Louis’ hips possessively.

Harry just chuckles. “Yeah. No. I don’t think so. Come on, Lou,” Harry says and takes his hands, pulling him away and spinning him around, slotting Louis against his broad chest and caging him in protectively as they thread the rough the writhing, sweaty bodies.

From behind, Louis vaguely hears Sean protesting, but thankfully, he doesn’t pursue them.

Harry guides them over to their booth, just as Niall manages to maneuver Liam off the dance floor. “Home time?” Niall asks and they all nod, Liam putting up only a meager fight as they grab their jackets and head to the exit.

The cold air bites at Louis’ face as they step outside onto the darkened street, the alcohol suddenly hitting him full-force. He sways on the spot and stumbles forward, but Harry wraps his strong arm around his shoulders to steady him.

“I had a great time, thanks guys! You’re the bestest friends a guy could have,” Liam says, words slurred as he drapes himself over Niall’s back for support.

“You gonna be okay with him?” Harry asks Niall as he props Liam up against a lamppost, fishing his phone from his pocket.

“Yeah. All good. Just gonna grab an Uber. We’ll be home in no time and I’ll tuck him into bed,” Niall assures them. Louis sometimes thinks they make an odd couple, vastly different interests and areas of study, not unlike Harry and himself he muses, but then he sees them together like this and it all makes sense. They're always there for each other, in good times and bad, supportive and encouraging, making the other laugh. 

“Mmmmm… bed,” Louis says, and tucks himself into Harry’s side.

“Alright, I’m gonna get this little party animal to bed too,” Harry says, walking them over to say their goodbyes.

They trudge along the street, the distance always feeling much further when he’s had a few. Harry chatters away, happily tipsy, telling Louis all about the hens night and how they wanted him to go back to their hotel suite for some extra curricular activities of the pornographic kind. And although Harry is adamant he would never have even considered it, a weird feeling blooms in Louis’ gut, twisting and churning, making him more nauseous than he can justifiably blame on the alcohol. 

Louis banishes the thoughts as they take the stairs up to their flat and go inside, Harry shepherding him into the bathroom with instructions for him to shower and clean his teeth while he makes them both a cuppa.

Louis sits on the closed toilet seat, managing to kick his shoes off, but after a few failed attempts at his jeans, he just sort of sits and stares off into the distance, listening to Harry move about the flat.

“Lou, I can’t hear the shower running!” Harry yells from the kitchen.

Louis means to reply or make a move to do something about the fact he’s still dressed but he just leans against the sink instead and waits. Harry will come and fix it. Harry fixes everything.

A floating head appears in the doorway, a confused expression on Harry’s face which quickly morphs into something much softer.

“Help,” is all Louis can squeak out.

“Oh, Lou. Let me just…” Harry trails off as he steps into the bathroom and drops to his knees in front of Louis, grabbing the hem of his shirt and lifting it up to Louis armpits. “Up we go.”

Louis raises his arms and the material slides up and over his head. He feels kind of pathetic and should probably be embarrassed, but this is Harry and they’ve both seen each other in worse states than this. “M’tired, Haz,” Louis says around a yawn.

“I know, Lou. It’s okay. We’ll have you sorted in no time. Also,” he chuckles, a smirk appearing on his face as he taps Louis’ thighs to get him to stand up. “Liam owes me ten pounds.” Louis’ come-fuck-me shirt sails through the air and lands in the laundry basket and Harry turns back, winking at him with a smug grin.

“Oi!” Louis says and swats Harry on the shoulder, nearly over balancing with the motion. “I could’ve pulled if I’d wanted to. Sean was definitely up for it.”

A small frown appears between Harry’s brows as he undoes the button and flies on Louis’ jeans and peels them down his legs, nudging him to sit back down so he can pull them the rest of the way off.

“Whatever you say, Lou,” Harry says as he stands and backs away, moving the shower curtain aside and turning on the taps, steam quickly billowing out and up to the ceiling. “You’ll be okay on your own, yeah?”

“M’not a child,” Louis says with a petulant pout and crosses his arms over his bare chest.

“No you’re not,” Harry chuckles. “But I’d prefer not to have to spend the rest of the night at the hospital, so if you feel woozy, just give me a shout.”

“Okay. Thanks, Haz. Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. That’s what friends are for,” Harry says and heads back out of the bathroom, leaving Louis to his own devices.

He strips off his briefs and steps into the shower, the warm water doing wonders to wash away the night's events. Once he’s cleaned his teeth he feels almost human again and pads back out into the kitchen, towel wrapped around his waist, and finds his cuppa sitting on the bench, steam rising over the rim. The shower starts up again and he hears Harry singing as he sits down at the dining table and drinks his tea, nibbling on a biscuit from the jar in the centre. Harry always makes sure to have his favourites well stocked, little shortbreads in the shape of a heart that he bakes himself. It’s a small consideration, but Louis appreciates it.

“Bed time, Lou.” Louis looks up to find Harry standing in the hallway, one towel around his hips, another wrapped around his head. “Big weekend of study ahead for us both. Need our rest.”

“Mmmm… yeah, you’re right.”

Louis gets up and rinses his mug, picking up his phone and following Harry down the hallway. “Night, Lou. Sleep well,” Harry says as he goes into his room.

“Night, Haz.”

Louis closes the door to his room and grabs a clean pair of briefs from his dresser, plugging in his phone and climbing into bed. It’s dark and quiet, too quiet, his mind racing with the events of the evening and all the study he has to do before his exam on Tuesday.

He’d always loved maths and sciences at school, the patterns and analysis, the potential for discovery and making a difference in the world. Biomedical Science seemed to be a good fit and he loves it, but it’s hard, really hard. 

Harry, on the other hand, is studying Art History, and their subjects couldn’t be more different, but that kind of works for them. Harry’s so passionate about what he does and everything he learns and Louis loves to hear him prattle on and on about it all. He just has this way of submerging Louis in his world and making it so vibrant and real that he can get lost in Harry’s words. Yeah, they make a good pair.

His phone pings with a notification and he reaches out blindly for it. Squinting his eyes open he sees a message from Harry.

_I can hear you thinking from over here. Go to sleep._

Louis types out a quick response.

_Can’t sleep. Mind won’t shut up. Come cuddle._

It’s not something they do often, but it’s nice when they do. Harry’s big and broad and has this way of wrapping him up and holding him close that makes everything else fade away.

Louis’ door creaks open and he moves over to make room as Harry shuffles across the floor, the mattress dipping with his weight. Soon he’s bundled up, Harry’s arm under his head, warm breath fanning over his neck, and within minutes he’s starting to drift off.

In his sleepy and still slightly inebriated state, he lets himself try to imagine that Harry is someone else, a boyfriend, some as yet unknown guy who will swoop into his life and whisk him off his feet; laughter and light and happiness.

But no matter how hard he forces himself, the only embrace he can imagine being in is Harry’s, the only eyes he can see are bottle green, and the only laughter he can hear is his best mates. 

And if Louis wakes up the following morning with a splitting headache and a raging boner, then that’s just his lot to bear.

~*~

Louis is stressed. Borderline catatonic, if he’s being honest. His stomach is in knots, his palms are sweaty, and his brain is a jumble of references and statistics and all the other things he’s learned, churning around in his head like static noise. He just can’t organize all the information into something logical and accessible and if he doesn’t manage it soon, he’s going to fail this exam miserably.

After getting over his hangover, he’d dutifully studied all weekend. Harry had worked both days which left Louis the flat to himself, which should’ve been a good thing, but instead all it did was make it worse. Harry just has this way of calming Louis’ mind when it’s a mess, bringing him tea and biscuits and knowing when he needs a break. Without him, he’d spiralled and now it’s Monday afternoon and he feels completely underprepared. 

Even more annoying, he’s been stuck at the carnival all day. It’s a holiday weekend and the crowds have been relentless, constantly interrupting his attempts to get through his revision. But he can’t afford to give up double pay when it’s on offer so he’s sat here in his little booth waiting for the time to tick over so he can go home and get properly stuck into it.

He’d also been drawn back to the Divinando during his break, in the hopes of injecting something positive into his day. 

_Love will be there to catch you when you’re falling._

He doesn’t know how to interpret it other than he’s going to fall, which, to be completely honest, he could do without. Then again, the first two fortunes were a bust so he really has no idea why he’s even thinking anything will come of it, there’s just this little niggling voice in the back of his head that he can’t quieten down telling him to take that leap of faith and trust that it will bear fruit.

Samantha arrives to relieve him today, Franny off doing breaks down at the other end of the carnival. It’s clear she senses his stress level the moment she steps inside the booth. “Gosh, the aura in here is heavy,” she says, slicing through the air with her long, blood red nails. “You okay, Louis?”

“Got an exam tomorrow,” Louis says with a long sigh as he packs up his laptop. “Just not feeling prepared enough.”

She twirls her jet black hair into a bun and pops her glasses on, schucking off her jacket. “Awwww that sucks, love. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

“Thanks. We’ll see, I guess. Just have to cram tonight,” he says as he stands.

Samantha, grips onto his biceps and closes her eyes in concentration. She’s a bit of an odd one, always talking about the spiritual world and alternative remedies and star signs and auras. “I can feel that you’re on the precipice of something life changing, positive, a new path, but in some ways the same one. It’s…” she trails off and opens her eyes, big brown irises dark and kind, staring intently. “It’s as though you’re about to awaken, to step out of the shadows and into the light. I feel like there are good things coming your way, Louis.”

He never knows what to say when she does things like this, so he just smiles and nods. “Yeah? Well, that’s good news for me. Thanks. Anyway,” he says and reaches for his backpack, her hands dropping from his arms. “I’d better be off home. Have a good shift.”

“Mmmmmm… say hi to that hunk of a flatmate for me,” she says with a wink as Louis steps outside.

He chuckles. “Yeah, for sure. See ya, Samantha.”

“Bye, Louis” she says with a little wave.

Louis heads off toward the exit, taking his phone out to message Harry.

Louis: S _ooooo… Samantha still has a thing for you._

He sees Harry come online and start typing. Louis threads through the crowds, ducking and weaving and narrowly avoiding being garotted by a fake sword that a small child is wielding from his perch being atop his fathers shoulders.

Harry: _I’m hard to resist_

Louis snickers to himself and spies the entrance up ahead.

Louis: _And not at all full of yourself_

Harry: _Well you will keep feeding my ego. What’s a guy to do?_

Louis makes it out of the gate and onto the street. It’s packed out here too.

Louis: _she did one of those readings things on me again._

Harry: _Any pearls of wisdom?_

Louis crosses the street, the crowds thankfully starting to thin out the further he gets away from the carnival.

Louis: _Said something about me coming out of the shadows and into the light. Dunno. It was weird._

Harry: _Maybe we just need to get a brighter globe for your bedroom lamp or something? You nearly home?_

Louis snorts out a laugh as he steps side-steps a couple who are stopped outside a cafe looking at the menu. But he misjudges the distance and slips off the curb, falling straight into the chest of a man with strong arms that wrap around his waist and back to steady him. Louis’ hands are planted on his chest, phone still clutched tightly as the words from the Divinando run on a loop in his head.

_Love will be there to catch you when you’re falling._

“Shit. God. I’m so sorry,” Louis says and glances up. He’s met with big brown puppy dog eyes and a _very_ familiar beaming smile, 

“Louis? What the fuck, man?”

“Liam!”

“You should know better than to text and walk, Lou,” Liam chastises fondly as he releases him and Louis stands up straight, pocketing his phone.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“How’d you shape up after Friday night?”

“Pretty rotten. Harry got me in the shower and made me some tea then cuddled me all night. Had a shocker hangover but I had to study all weekend so I had no choice but to snap out of it. How about you?”

“Felt like death.”

Louis chuckles. “Yeah, I saw the pictures Niall sent through into the chat. Looked like you had regret written all over your face.”

“Can’t believe he sent them through,” Liam says with a shake of his head. “Bastard. Just wait until next time he’s feeling rough. I’ll get him back.”

“Alright. Well I’d best get home and cram as much study in as I can before tomorrow morning,” Louis says and pulls Liam in for a hug.

“Good luck, Lou. I’m sure you’ll nail it,” Liam says as he starts to walk away, waving over his shoulder.

“Oh!” Louis calls out and Liam spins around. “Harry says you owe him ten pounds,” he says with a devilish grin.

“ _Louis_ ,” Liam whines. “Trust you to have stripped off in front of him. You two have zero boundaries, I swear to god,” he says with a shake of his head.

“Sorry, Li!”

“Bye, Lou. Friday?”

“Yeah, see you Friday!”

Having learned nothing from his little trip and fall, he takes his phone out to find another message waiting for him.

Harry: _You there?_

Louis: _Sorry, yeah. Just ran into Liam. Literally. Told him he owes you a tenner._

Harry: _Hahahahahaha_

Harry: _Bet he took that well._

Louis: _Mmmmmm_

Louis: _Nearly home_

Louis pockets his phone and starts off across the park. So that’s another fortune down the drain, unless of course Liam’s actually the love of his life and he’ll now grow old and grey and alone. Regardless of the fact he’d never go after someone who is taken, Liam’s like a brother to him, so it’s a non-starter on all fronts.

He bounds up the stairs, mind already planning out what he has to do. It’s still a jumbled mess but maybe after a shower and a cuppa the fog will clear. At least he hopes so.

The front door is ajar when he gets there so he pushes it open and takes off his jacket, hanging it on a hook and toeing off his shoes. The smell of freshly baked sweetness hangs in the air and draws him into the flat, the promise of one of Harry’s creations urging him on. 

He rounds the corner and what he finds has him stopping dead in his tracks. The entire living area has been converted into what he can only describe as a study haven; a white board propped up at the end of their dining table where it butts against the wall, brown paper affixed on either side, post it notes and index cards in little piles. There’s a glass filled with sharpies and pens, his textbooks are laid out on the coffee table, along with pads of lined paper and the reference folders from his room, and Harry’s laptop sitting open with Spotify up, a playlist ready to go. On the table he sees the source of the delicious aroma, a fresh plate of Louis’ favourite biscuits, sitting in the middle. 

“Oh, hey,” Harry says as he registers Louis’ arrival, looking up from where he’s standing behind the island bench, and array of ingredients in little bowls indicating they’re having tacos for dinner.

“W-what’s all this?” Louis asks, still unmoving from his spot as he continues to take in his surroundings.

“Uhm… so I thought…” Harry says sheepishly, a flush appearing on his cheeks as he runs his fingers through his hair. “I know you’ve been struggling with preparing for the exam so I thought we could do, like, a study session? Together? I could make flash cards and and we could plot stuff out and revise and-“

Louis closes the distance and launches himself at Harry, wrapping his arms around his neck, Harry catching him easily. “Oh my god,” Louis whispers into his hair, burrowing in closely. “Thank you. You're the best!”

Harry chuckles, chest vibrating against Louis’ torso. “You’re welcome. Hopefully it’ll help.”

Louis pulls back and surveys the area again. “You’ve thought of everything. This is exactly what I needed.”

When he glances back at Harry he’s wearing a beaming smile and it makes Louis’ heart thud in his chest with how much he just... _feels_. “Anything for you, Lou.”

A heaviness hangs between them, charged and raw, Harry’s eyes darting down to Louis’ lips and back up again. Louis tracks the movement, something flickering in the back of his mind, slightly unsettling but indistinguishable, like it’s a revelation that’s just out of reach.

The moment is interrupted by the dinging of the oven timer, loud and jarring in the otherwise quiet room, and Louis steps back, clapping his hands together. “Right! Let’s get started.”

Harry’s expression clouds with confusion and something else Louis can’t quite decipher, but he recovers quickly, pasting on a broad smile so Louis dismisses it, refocusing on the task ahead.

~*~

After a long night of work, and far too many tacos and biscuits and cups of tea, Louis had managed to grab a fews hours of sleep. Even though he was tired, he’d gone into the test with a confidence which the previous day had seemed like an impossibility. It was just as hard as he’d expected, but he knew he’d put in the work, with Harry’s dedicated assistance, and had left the exam hall with a spring in his step. He’d fucking nailed it. 

As he makes his way to work for the afternoon shift, he can’t help but replay the night before in head. Harry is truly an angel, always there for him when he needs him, always ready to drop everything, whether it’s practical help, emotional support, a laugh, a fun night out, or a lazy day spent bundled up on the couch. He wonders what his life would be like without him, shuddering at even the briefest imagining of a parallel life where they’d never met. He decides then and there that he has to do something nice for Harry to show him how much he appreciates everything he does, not just with the study session, but every day, big gestures or in small, seemingly insignificant ways.

As students, they don’t have a lot of disposable cash, but Louis earns enough at the carnival to make himself comfortable. Harry isn’t a material person by any means, but Louis wants this to be a treat, something he wouldn’t do for himself, something special.

He ponders the thought as he enters through the gate, the sounds of the carnival surrounding him. The Divinando catches his eye, just like it always does, seeming to call to him, so he wanders over. It’s curious that the game hasn’t been removed yet, surely there’s been a mistake in installing something that requires no ticket. After all, rarely are things in this world free.

The machine comes to life and Louis wonders if it has some kind of proximity sensor, the wheel spinning and coloured lights flashing. “Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got for me today,” Louis says out loud. “Make it a good one, yeah?”

The familiar words come onto the screen and he pushes the button, the soft whirring signaling that it’s printing his fortune. He takes the slip of paper and reads it to himself.

_Feed your love and it will grow._

“Cheers,” Louis says and rolls his eyes. “Super helpful as always.”

He tucks it into his wallet with the other ones and makes his way to his booth, Kirsten waiting for him inside.

“Hey, Louis. How’s your day been?” She asks as she slips on her shoes and packs away her things.

“Yeah, good. Had a test this morning which was brutal, but I think I did okay.”

She holds her arm up, palm outward, in readiness for a high-five, which Louis gives her with a small chuckle before she does some weird, wavy, hand motion and clicks her fingers. Louis feels very old all of a sudden, even at twenty-two, clearly not down with the new craze. _God_ , even in his own head he sounds like a nerd.

He spends the better portion of his shift trying to come up with a way to thank Harry. The internet is a minefield of rabbit holes as usual and he finds himself running off down far too many of them before having to drag himself back out. He considers a various array of gifts and high adrenaline sporty things but nothing seems right. He switches over to food related activities; a culinary tour of the markets at sunrise, a countryside pub crawl of the best pub restaurants in the district, a French Patisserie cooking lesson, and a molecular gastronomy workshop which sounds fun, but is ridiculously expensive.

As he’s scrolling through an article on new restaurants in the area, one name catches his eye, sparking a memory of a conversation he and Harry had had only a few weeks ago. He reads the marketing blurb; _Slice_ is a reimagining of classic dishes, allowing the diner to experience the highest quality food presented in new and unexpected ways, using ground-breaking techniques that heighten the senses and allow a new level of enjoyment and appreciation. 

“And we have a winner,” Louis says to the screen. He grabs his phone and makes a reservation for Thursday night.

When he gets home and tells Harry he’s taking him out for dinner later in the week Harry tries everything he can to get Louis to tell him where, but he stays tight-lipped. He wants it to be a surprise, and hopefully a good one at that. 

Thursday comes around quickly and as they get ready to head out, Louis still won’t reveal where they’re going, so Harry stomps back into his room, returning wearing sweatpants, a tank top, and a cheeky grin. Louis rolls his eyes but has to relent and suggests he might want to change into something slightly more appropriate for a _nice_ restaurant. 

When the Uber pulls up outside _Slice,_ Harry’s eyes practically bug out of his head. “Lou! Oh my god. I’ve been dying to try this place!”

“I know,” Louis says, well-pleased with Harry’s reaction. “Come on. Let’s go and see what all the buzz is about.”

They jump out of the car and Louis smooths out his shirt as Harry guides him toward the entrance with a hand on the small of his back. He catches their reflection in the glass doors and his breath is sucked from his lungs. He’d never realized how much they look like a couple, a really fucking hot couple. Harry is stunning, as always, dressed in a sheer black shirt, collar gaping open to show off his silver necklaces and tattoos, hair styled in a messy quiff, and shiny black boots at the end of long, jean-clad legs. For Louis’ part, he’d decided on a feathered fringe, a midnight blue button-down, rolled to the elbows, with fitted grey trousers cuffed at the ankles that hug his thick thighs and curvy arse, and polished black dress shoes with no socks to complete the look.

The hostess gives them an appreciative once-over, asking for their reservation before guiding them through the restaurant to their table. It’s an eclectic mix of clean lines, stainless steel, warm tones, foliage, low lighting, and opulent decorations. But there are also confronting artworks and installations on the walls and suspended from the high ceilings which somehow seem out of place and definitely don’t mesh with the rest of the aesthetic; rusty bicycles, farm equipment, an eighties style boombox, umbrellas, and a baby's high chair all of which Louis identifies just from a first glance around the room. The mood is almost uncomfortable in a bizarre way, and it unsettles him.

He watches as Harry takes it all in, wide-eyed in wonder. “Wow. This place is…” Harry trails off and Louis is about to finish the sentence for him with a resounding _really fucking weird_ when Harry turns back to him. “Amazing.”

Okay. Louis definitely didn’t see that coming but what else is supposed to say? “Uhm, yeah. Amazing.”

“Thanks so much for bringing me here. I can’t believe you remembered me talking about it.”

“‘Course I did. And I thought you deserved something special after helping me with my exam. You really went above and beyond with that one.”

Harry smiles and it’s one of those big, dimpled ones that light up the entire room and make something warm bloom in Louis’ chest. He’d spend every day for the rest of his life doing anything he could to make that smile appear, to have Harry gaze at him like that, and to make him happy, no matter what it took.

Harry’s quiet for a few beats, his eyes searching Louis’ face, for what, Louis doesn’t know. He rests his hands on the table, steepling his fingers, bottom lip snagged between his teeth. “So,” Harry starts, looking nervous all of a sudden. “I’m uhm… I’m really glad we’re here actually. There’s something I’ve been wanting to-“

Harry doesn’t get to finish his thought, interrupted by their server coming up to the table. “Good evening. I’m Chad, and I’ll be taking you on your Slice journey tonight,” he says as he hands over the menus

Chad is tall and blonde with bright blue eyes and what appears to be an interesting full sleeve tattoo on his right arm showing from under his tight t-shirt. Louis guesses he’s probably in his late twenties, although the fake tan could be making him appear older than his years. He has an air about him that only comes from having been considered attractive for most of his life which, in Louis’ experience, usually also comes with an arrogance that is high on his list of major turn offs.

“Hi, Chad,” Harry says with a smile but Chad barely even acknowledges him, turning his full attention to Louis, and no, that’s not cool.

Chad’s gaze is hungry as he licks his lips and looms over Louis, too close for his liking. For all Chad knows, he and Harry are a couple so his behaviour is incredibly rude and off putting. 

It occurs to him that this guy could potentially be who the Divinando was referring to. _Feed your love and it will grow._ He’s their server for the evening and is going to be technically feeding Louis, but if that’s the case, it’s so far off base it’s laughable. This guy is almost the exact opposite of what Louis is looking for.

Harry stiffens and shifts in his seat, clearly picking up on what Chad is doing as he goes on to explain the _experience_ that is Slice. He guides them through what to expect and points out some special extras they can request, each with an increasingly exorbitant charge and with an increasing level of obnoxiousness.

By the time he’s done and they’ve ordered their drinks and starters Louis feels like he needs to wash the slime off his body. He leaves them with an obviously suggestive wink in Louis’ direction and the scent of his potent cologne which seems to have attached itself to Louis’ clothes.

He can sense Harry’s unease as it radiates off him but once Harry realises Louis is looking at him, he schools his expression and goes back to pointing at the ceiling, trying to brush off the interaction with little jokes and observations. The last thing Louis wants is to let Chad’s behaviour go unacknowledged, but he also doesn’t want to draw any more attention to it, and thereby making Harry even more uncomfortable, so he lets it go.

They chat and drink their drinks after another waiter thankfully brings them over and things are settling down nicely. That is until Chad—the destroyer of nice evenings—returns with their appetizers.

They’d opted for a share plate, the _Slice Introduction_ , and Chad goes to great lengths to word-vomit all over the place, clearly having learned his lines well, or perhaps he just really likes the sound of his own voice. Louis suspects it’s a little from column A, and a little from column B.

When he finally leaves, Louis looks down and the strange plate of, well, food. At least he thinks it’s food, it’s hard to tell. He tries to marry up Chad’s detailed descriptions with what he sees on the platter but they’re all the wrong colour and shape, and really, in Louis’ humble opinion, food shouldn't need that level of explanation.

There are red corn kernels in a halved pomegranate shell, pink pumpkin shaped like carrots, and white carrots fashioned into a mash with some kind of blue gravy dotted around artfully. To the side, there are three thimble-sized pots with dipping sauces in gold, silver, and bronze, and black bread sticks with what looks like white barbed wire wrapped around them, but Chad had assured them it was made of candied bean sprouts.

Louis looks up to see Harry’s reaction and is met with furrowed brows, but they smooth out when he meets Louis’ gaze. “You wanna go first?” Harry asks with a hint of trepidation.

“Let’s dig in together.”

They pick up their forks and poke at a few bits before each deciding on the white carrot mash with the blue gravy. The first thing Louis notices as he places the fork into his mouth is the complete lack of taste in the mash, that is until the gravy hits his saliva glands and he nearly chokes on the sourness. It’s fucking disgusting. The texture is all wrong and any flavour the carrots might’ve once had has been drained by whatever process they’ve undergone to strip them of their natural colour, any remnants of an appealing taste entirely overpowered by the gravy. Louis takes a long drink of his water and swooshes it around his mouth just so he can swallow it all down.

Harry has already moved onto his next adventure and is skewering a carrot shaped piece of pumpkin. Louis goes for a bread stick next, figuring it’s a safer bet, but the candied bean sprouts might as well be barbed wire and they jab into the roof of his mouth painfully. 

He manages to get the mouthful down his throat after a bit of coaxing, shuddering to think how he’s going to make it through this nightmare of a meal when he feels the table shaking. Louis looks up to find Harry trying to stifle a laugh, clutching his napkin in his hand.

It’s infectious, and within seconds Louis in fits of giggles, his hand covering his mouth, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Louis finally calms down just barely enough to speak. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry, Haz. This has to be the _worst_ fucking meal I’ve ever had.”

Harry has tears in his eyes, cheeks flushed as pink as the damn pumpkin, but he’s smiling so big and broad that both of his dimples are out in full force. He reaches over the table and takes Louis’ hand in his. “No. This is brilliant, Lou. We’re gonna be talking about this for the rest of our lives.”

“For all the wrong reasons,” Louis says, pouting so hard that he can actually see his lips in his peripheral vision. “I just wanted to do something nice for you and instead I give you… _this_.” He shoves at the platter and topples over two of the thimbles, their greasy looking sauces mixing on the plate with the blue gravy to create some sort of bizarre artwork that wouldn’t look out of place on the walls in this godforsaken place.

“I know you did,” Harry says and rubs his thumb over Louis’ knuckles. “And I appreciate it so much. This place was one I’d wanted to come, that’s how you got the idea, and I’m glad we came. Even if only for the entertainment value.”

Louis looks up at him hopefully. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely. Plus, I get to tease you mercilessly about _Chad_ until we’re old and grey.”

Louis snorts out a laugh. “I hate you.”

“Nah, you really don’t.”

“No, I really don’t,” Louis says far too fondly. “Wanna get out of here?

“Fuck yeah.”

They settle their bill at the front and head out onto the street, Louis not missing the glare Harry levels at a bemused looking Chad on their way through the doorway.

They decide to walk home, the crisp evening keeping their steps brisk as they chat about nothing and everything.

“Hey, I really am sorry, you know,” Louis says after a comfortable silence has spread between them. 

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for, Lou. And for the record, you didn’t have to do anything to thank me anyway. I had fun helping you study.”

“Reckon you’ve missed your calling as a teacher.”

“Yeah? Maybe if all my students were as good as you I’d consider it,” Harry says and bumps their shoulders together.

They’re almost through the park when Louis’ stomach decides to remind him with a grumble that he hasn’t actually eaten. “Fuck, I’m starving.”

“Me too,” Harry chuckles. “Hey! You know what I want?”

Louis stops and Harry spins around, a gleeful look on his face.

“Cheese toasties!” They both shout in unison, laughter ringing out across the park. It’s a bit of a tradition, is the thing. Louis usually makes them when they get home after a night out and find themselves in equal states of inebriation. It’s his signature dish and Harry adores them.

They up their pace and take the stairs two at a time, barreling into their flat. Harry heads into the shower while Louis prepares their food, humming happily to himself. By the time Harry returns and sits down at the island bench there is a plate loaded of partially cooled sandwiches ready for them both.

Harry makes the most pornographic sound when he takes the first bite and a shiver runs down Louis’ spine. “See,” Harry says around his mouthful of food. “This is all I needed. I don’t need fancy restaurants and obnoxious waiters. Just you and me-“

“And a cheese toastie,” Louis finishes for him.

“Absolutely.”

Louis just smiles and thinks that Harry’s never been more right in his life.

~*~

Louis walks through the carnival feeling like he’s lighter than air. His final class before the holidays is done and he has a blissful few weeks before he’ll need to start ramping up his revision again in preparation for his final year. Harry’s classes are finished too and they have an evening of home made pizzas and Pictionary planned with Liam and Niall who are still smarting from their last defeat. Honestly though, it’s not like they should expect anything less; Louis and Harry are the Dream Team, and their Pictionary prowess is legendary. What can he say? They just get each other, even though Niall adamantly maintains they’ve worked out some clever way to cheat.

He stops by the Divinando to see what it has to say for itself, and Louis’ love life. He still hasn’t told anyone he’s doing it, but he likes having this little fun thing all of his own, regardless of how useful it is.

Today’s phrase is an odd one and Louis re-reads it a few times before tucking it inside his wallet.

_A songbirds song will make the heartstrings sing._

He pops to the shops and grabs the last few things Harry had forgotten when he went to pick up the beer in his car earlier and then heads home. The evening is warm and the sun has yet to fully set so the park is bustling with people out enjoying the open space and welcoming weather. He ducks around a game of frisbee and a multitude of dogs and their owners, parents and children, and picnicking couples.

As he passes through the long garden trellis with its overhanging vines and fragrant flowers he hears an unusual bird, faint at first, until he moves further within. He looks up to find a plain looking creature, brown and grey feathers with white tips at the ends of its wings. It’s so simple and unassuming if it wasn’t making such a beautiful sound he wouldn’t have looked twice.

He stops and listens for a while, sitting down on a bench under the man-made canopy to take it in fully; he’s in no real rush, the boys not due to arrive for another couple of hours. There’s a lovely breeze fluttering his fringe and he swipes it across his forehead as he notices a man coming into the trellis from the other other, a big fluffy dog prancing along happily at the end of his leash.

The man must hear the bird and looks around, eyes landing on Louis who points up to where the bird is perched. He says a silent _ahhhhh_ in recognition and smiles, shifting his track to walk further away so as not to startle it.

The fortune from the Divinando runs through his head. A songbirds song? Check. The heartstrings singing? Not so much.

The guy is not his type at all; short and stocky, with thick rimmed glasses and probably in his forties, so if this is what the Divinando has planned for him, it’d better try again.

As he comes up to where Louis is sitting he slows and speaks softly. “Never heard that call before. It’s lovely.”

“Right? And yeah, I’ve never heard it before either,” Louis offers and the man nods toward the bench.

Louis waves his hand at the end of the bench and the man sits down. They chat for a while, just small talk about the bird and the park and the local area, and he’s a pleasant kind of guy, married too if the ring on his finger is any indication. It’s confirmed a few minutes later when his wife and two children wander up to join them. They’ve only recently moved to the area and this is their first visit to the park. Louis tells them all about the carnival and that has the children enthralled, the good restaurants, and the bad ones too, regaling them with a tale of the woeful experience he and Harry had at Slice, earning smiles and laughter all around. They take their leave, bidding fond farewells and thanking Louis for sharing his local insights.

He watches as they walk off, the man and woman holding hands with the kids running ahead and their dog padding along beside them. A wave of something like yearning washes over him, pinning him to the seat. He wants that. A family. Someone to build a life with, to share it with. Maybe that’s what the Divinando is trying to do? To show him what he truly wants, what’s important, what love really means to him.

He ponders the thought as he makes his way up to the flat, feeling like the world has shifted on its axis and given him a new outlook on his life. Opening the door and wandering inside, he kicks off his shoes as he hears Harry in the kitchen, singing along to Natalie Imbruglia’s _Torn_. It’s one of the tracks off Harry’s nineties playlist and also one of their favourites to sing together. Louis dumps the grocery bag and his backpack on the bench and Harry turns around, a bright, beaming smile on his face.

He drops the wooden spoon into the pan and stalks over to Louis, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he sings the last line of the verse. He reaches out for Louis' hand and spins him into his chest, holding him there, back to his front, for a beat. The chorus starts and they both belt it out, harmonizing perfectly, Harry taking the low part and Louis the high one. Harry twirls Louis around and out into the living room where they have more space, hips swaying and feet shuffling.

They’ve done this so many times before it’s like muscle memory, but after the last few weeks, something about this time hits differently. There’s an ache in his heart, a want, a need, a flutter even, he just can’t quite decipher what it means. It feels like the answer is on the tip of his tongue, just out of reach, like there’s fog over it so he can’t see it clearly, can’t grasp onto it. But with every day that passes, the fog is lifting, he can sense it. He just hopes he doesn’t have to wait too much longer.

~*~

A few days later, Louis finds himself once again standing in front of the Divinando. He doesn’t even know what he’s expecting anymore. Does he believe in it? The logical part of his brain says no, but there’s a little voice in the recesses of his mind—or maybe his heart—that keeps urging him to come back. 

He watches the wheel spin, momentarily mesmerized by the flashing lights and colourful display. He thinks about the journey he’s been on and the realizations he’s had about himself, about what he really wants, what he hopes to find, and what would make him truly happy.

An equal, someone who respects him, and themselves, and their life together. Someone who’s funny, no, more than that, someone who’s witty; anyone can be funny, but true wit takes intelligence, which Louis finds sexy as all hell. Kindness and openness are important too, being willing to put it all out on the line and lay themselves bare for the one they love. Strong, not in a physical sense necessarily—although Louis will freely admit he does love to be manhandled a bit—but strength of character, someone who has morals and isn’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Forthright and honest, loyal and brave. Someone who is happy to dance the night away but is also comfortable curling up on the couch and bingeing series on Netflix.

He takes a deep breath, channeling all of his thoughts through his body and out to his fingertips as he presses the button. The familiar whirring sound fills the space and he focuses on it, letting the noise from the carnival fade into the distance. The little scroll pops out and he unwraps it, smoothing it out and reads.

 _Home is where the heart is._

He exhales on a long sigh. That’s such an obvious one, and hardly a revelation. A sentiment he could find on numerous sappy greeting cards in any gift shop he walked into. 

He thinks about what home means to him and an image flashes in his head, but it isn’t his flat, or where he grew up, instead, the image is of a person. Louis closes his eyes, concentrating, trying to see it more clearly, but it’s still just out of reach, like a dream when he wakes. A weird sensation bubbles up inside of him as the person comes into focus and he reaches out, gripping onto the sides of the Divinado to steady himself. A flash of green, a tattooed chest, expanses of white, milky skin, a smile, a dimple. Warmth spreads through his body, a calm feeling washing over him, he hears a laugh, a song, a deep voice. His eyes fly open.

Harry.

It can’t be. But. Could it? With trembling hands, he takes his wallet out of his back pocket, pulling the slips of paper out and reading them again, heart racing, sweat beading at his temples.

 _Love will bring you shelter_ . That day, he was standing at the bus shelter to keep out of the rain, so he’d thought the guy in the shelter with him was who he was supposed to meet. But it wasn’t Hayden who brought him shelter. No. It was _Harry_ who came to pick him up. It’s _Harry_ who always thinks of him and makes sure he’s okay.

Louis reads the next one. _With blue you search, with green you are found_ . Holy fucking shit. How could he have been so _stupid_ ? At the bar that night he’d thought it was about the hideous green and blue cocktails. But Louis is the one who’s been searching with his own blue eyes, looking for love. _In green you are_ \- oh god.

 _Love will be there to catch you when you’re falling._ His eyes dart over the words. It was Liam who caught him in the street so he’d dismissed it, but when he’d gotten home, stressed and worried about his impending test, it was _Harry_ who was there to catch him, to help him, to provide him the support he needed.

His brain is going a mile a minute, trying to take in the connections that were seemingly so obvious, now that he’s seeing them with different eyes. _Feed your love and it will grow._ Fuck. He’d thought it was about that dumbass Chad, being their server and bringing Louis food, but it was _Louis_ who had arranged the dinner, and it was _Louis_ who had made him and Harry their comfort food when they’d gotten back to their flat, because love is a two-way street.

That day in the park, hearing the bird singing so beautifully. _A songbirds song will make the heartstrings sing._ Of course it wasn’t about the man or even his family, it was a glimpse of what family means to _Louis_ and what he cherishes so much about his life, who is most important to him and who he wants to build his future with. It’s about singing and dancing in the kitchen, and cooking together, and sharing their days. It’s about waking up with that one special person every morning and going to sleep every night knowing they’re near. Hopes and dreams for a future together, laughter and light and above all else, love.

He reads the last one, the words forming heavily on his tongue before they fall from his lips.

“Home is where the heart is.”

He blinks the tears from his eyes as he slides the papers back into his wallet, looking up at the Divinando. “Thank you,” he whispers, breath hiccupping in his chest. “Thank you for showing me the way and making me realise everything I’d been searching for was right in front of me, that everything I’d ever wished for was already mine for the taking. I just had to open my eyes.”

Louis turns slowly in a daze, the sounds of the carnival muted by the rushing of blood in his ears. He takes one step, and then another, moving without conscious thought as his eyes zone in on the exit, everything else blurring around him. His thudding footsteps echo in his head as his feet pound on the ground; no longer at a walk, but running towards the gate.

He slides through, hiking his backpack onto both shoulders, and then he’s off again. Running as fast as he can, eyes watering as the wind whips around him in a frenzy.

His heart is rabbiting in his chest, lungs burning with exertion but he has to get home, has to see Harry, has to tell him.

He slows as he darts between passersby, weaving in and out of strollers and people laden with shopping bags until he’s clear and ups his pace once again. Sprinting through the park, he jumps the flower beds, the gravel on the pathways crunching beneath his feet.

How could he have been so blind, so oblivious to what has been right in front of him all this time? He doesn’t know for sure how Harry feels, or how he’s going to react, but as he flicks through all the memories in his head, thousands of seemingly insignificant moments, that he thinks, hopes, means Harry feels the same. Glances, touches, big things and tiny, every day ones, a slow and steady building of a relationship that is core to Louis’ very existence. It’s always been there, he just needed something to snap him awake, to arrange the pieces of the puzzle.

He barrels into their building, flying up the stairs to their door. His hand shakes as he tries to get the keys in the lock, fumbling and watching them crash to the floor. He bends down and swipes them up, doing everything he can to steady himself as he makes another attempt. The key slides in and relief washes over him, turning the knob and opening the door, hearing it bang against the stopper as he pushes through and slams it behind him.

“Hey, Lou,” Harry shouts from the kitchen and Louis is drawn in, following the sound of his voice. “I’ve made us a risotto for dinner, hope that’s okay.”

Louis rounds the corner and finds Harry standing at the sink, rinsing a glass, oblivious to the turmoil going on in Louis’ head, the pounding of his heart, the synapses firing in his brain trying to kick his fight or flight reflex into gear. But Louis isn’t going anywhere, not until he’s said his piece, not until he knows.

“Hi,” Louis manages to get out, panting heavily as he drops his backpack to the ground and toes off his shoes, kicking them aside.

Harry turns the tap off and he’s so casual, just like every other day, like their world isn’t about to shift on its axis and be forever changed. He turns his head to look at Louis, brows furrowing when he sees the state he’s in. “Why are you out of breath?”

Louis just stands there, arms hanging loosely at his sides, unsure of what to do with them when his entire body feels out of place and like he’s forgotten what his arms and legs are even for. He focuses, finding every bit of strength he has to just make his mouth work.

“So, I’ve been thinking, and the thing is... I love you.”

The glass Harry is holding clatters into the sink, bouncing, but not breaking, as Harry brings his hands up to grip onto the edge of the counter, shoulders tense, eyes burning a hole into Louis’ very soul.

Louis waits, frozen in place, desperate for Harry to _say_ something, anything. Time seems to stretch on forever. Harry’s expression is unreadable like he’s waiting for the punchline to the joke that's never going to come.

“W-what do you mean?” Harry asks cautiously, looking at Louis like he’s trying not to startle a wild beast. 

“I mean that I love you. I’m _in_ love with you. Have been for ages, I think?” Louis questions himself, punctuated with a small shrug of his shoulder. Harry’s lack of response makes Louis feel like he has to fill the silence so he continues on. “Yeah. And I was, well… I was kinda wondering if you felt the same? If you don’t, that’s cool, like really, totally cool. We can just go on like we are and you can forget I ever said anything.” Louis doesn’t even know who is speaking now because this surely isn’t him, even the high pitched tone is foreign to his ears. “But if you do, then yeah, that’d be ace and-“

Louis doesn’t get to finish his sentence before Harry is surging forward, covering the short distance between them in one stride, cupping Louis’ face with his wet hands and sealing their lips together in a bruising kiss. The air is knocked from Louis’ lungs and he feels like he’s falling, grabbing onto Harry’s hips to stop himself from crumbling onto a heap on the floor. 

Harry hauls him up under his bum and sets him on the counter, slotting between his legs, diving back in, tonguing deep into his mouth as his hands roam Louis thighs, around his back, and up to the nape of his neck to hold him place. As if Louis needs to be held here. As if he’d want to be anywhere else.

Louis is spinning out of control, his brain unable to catch up with what’s happening. Harry is kissing him, _really_ kissing him. His best friend, his flatmate, oh, and quite possibly, probably definitely, the love of his life.

Harry pulls back slightly, sucking in air as he nips at Louis’ bottom lip. “Can’t… believe… it took you… this long,” he says, lips pressing into Louis’ cheeks and eyelids and nose. “‘Bout time you caught up. Thought I was going to fucking grow old waiting for you, you idiot.”

Louis reaches between them and twists Harry’s nipple, earning a groan in response as Harry recoils, but Louis wraps his feet around the backs of his knees and pulls him back in because he’s not letting him get away that easily. “Me?! _I’m_ the idiot? What about you? Why didn’t you say something, you great oaf?” Louis swats him in the chest for good measure.

Harry grabs Louis’ wrists, bringing one up to kiss the inside tenderly, big green eyes filled with mirth. “Nah. You had to get there on your own. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t be rushed. Things need to go on Louis time.”

Louis scrunches his nose up. “Louis time?”

“Mhmmm… you’ve got to go at your own pace.”

“Well, seeing as I’m all caught up now. How about we speed things along, together,” Louis says and fists his hand in Harry’s shirt, drawing him in so he can reach his mouth. 

Harry goes easily, humming against Louis’ lips as he picks him up under his bum, their mouths staying fused together as he walks them down the hallway past Louis’ room and into his own.

Harry lays Louis down on his bed, blanketing him with his body before raising up onto his elbows. “Also. Just for the record, and in case it wasn’t already _abundantly_ clear… I’m in love with you too.”

Louis feels himself flush under Harry’s intense gaze and he smiles so wide he worries for a moment that his face will split in two. “Thank god.”

Harry leans down and kisses him softly, no more than innocent pecks as Louis slides his hands down Harry’s broad back, tucking his fingers under the hem of his shirt and feeling his warm skin. He rucks it up as high as it can go and Harry must get the message because he places one last kiss to Louis’ lips and sits up, straddling his thighs. Harry whips his shirt over his head, hair left sticking out at odd angles and he’s the most beautiful creature Louis has ever seen. He could admire him for hours, days, but there’s something more that he wants right now.

Louis clenches his abs and lifts off the bed enough to get rid of his own shirt. Harry eyes him hungrily, trailing his fingertips from Louis’ neck to his navel and dipping under the waistband of his trousers. “Too many clothes,” Harry says and swings his leg over, stripping Louis bare in one motion. “Don’t move,” he orders, addressing Louis’ half-hard cock as he stands up.

“Well, _I_ won’t move, but I can’t guarantee my dick won’t, it’s got a mind of its own.”

Harry rolls his eyes and glances up, meeting Louis’ gaze. “You’re insufferable.”

“Good thing you love me then,” Louis says with a grin but then Harry shucks down his sweatpants and briefs and any other sassy comments he was preparing die on his tongue.

Harry’s cock hangs hard and long and thick and glorious between his legs. He’s a vision and Louis' mouth waters with how much he wants to run his tongue over every inch of his body, take his cock into his mouth, feel the weight of it, the taste, the silky smooth skin.

When he finally drags his gaze back up to Harry’s eyes the satisfied smirk he finds on Harry’s face should be irritating but he’s pretty sure he’s lost the ability to form coherent thoughts. And words? What are those again?

In lieu of uttering his needs out loud, he simply gives Harry his best, come-hither, bedroom eyes and slowly—painfully slowly—raises his hands above his head and spreads his legs invitingly, pushing his palms into the headboard and arching his back. A wanton moan slips out between breaths and seems to flip a switch, plunging the room into something far more charged than it had been a moment ago, staticky, and ready to ignite with a single spark. 

Louis watches intently as Harry’s smirk falls from his face, replaced with something animalistic, eyes darkening as a growl erupts from his chest. He yanks open his bedside drawer, throwing a tube of lube and a condom onto the bed, kneeing up and slotting himself between Louis’ legs, hands coming to rest on Louis’ thighs.

“You’re pure evil. You do know that, right?” Harry asks, slightly breathless, fingertips digging into Louis’ muscles. To be fair, Louis knows he can turn it on when he wants to and he’s giving it all he’s got right now. Perhaps that could be considered evil, but he’s pretty sure it’s exactly what Harry wants. So he just looks up at him from under his eyelashes, all faux-innocent, and licks his lips as he rolls his pelvis, the movement catching Harry’s attention.

His gaze darts everywhere, from Louis’ eyes to his lips, to his chest, his cock, and back to his face again. Harry holds for a beat, and then another, the anticipation building in Louis gut. Louis expects him to surge forward, to take him, for it to be heated and fast, but instead, Harry reaches out, cupping Louis’ jaw in his hand, thumb rubbing over his cheekbone. The change of pace has Louis’ brain fizzing, mouth dropping open as Harry slides his hand down, tracing Louis’ bottom lip with his forefinger.

The way Harry is looking at him, tears welling up in his eyes, like Louis is the most precious thing in the entire universe, like he’s breakable, special, has his heart stuttering in his chest.

It’s all so overwhelming and Louis’ cheeks are suddenly wet with his own tears. Louis lowers his arms, hand coming up grip onto Harry’s wrist. He slowly pushes himself up, pressing his other hand into Harry’s chest right over his heart, feeling the rapid _thud thud thud_ under his palm. 

“Hey,” Louis says. “It’s okay. It’s a lot, I know. We don’t have to do this now. We can just cuddle and talk.”

“I just…” Harry starts. “It’s so much, having you like this, finally, after so long. I thought maybe… maybe I never would. And now you’re here, in my bed, and you love me too and I just-“

Harry’s words are cut off as he lets out a sob, hanging his head, fringe falling over his forehead. Louis sits up fully, rearranging himself so he’s sitting on his heels. He cradles Harry’s head into his chest, pulling him in tightly and stroking down his back as they both let their tears fall openly and unabashed.

They hold each other until their breathing slows, sobs easing, touches gradually changing from purely comforting to strokes and glides with more intent, more heat. 

Louis noses at Harry’s cheek. “I love you so much,” he murmurs into Harry’s skin. “I’m so sorry it took me this long to work it out. I’m sorry you had to wait. But. _Fuck_. Thank god you didn’t give up on me. You knew me better than I knew myself. You had faith. In me. In us.”

“I’ll always have faith in you,” Harry whispers, mouth fuzed against the sensitive spot behind Louis’ ear. “I would’ve waited for all eternity if that’s what it took. You're _everything_ to me. You're my world. I just… I adore you.”

“Make love to me, Harry,” Louis says, barely audible. “Make me yours.”

Harry pulls back, cradling Louis’ face in his big, strong hands, eyes searching. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Louis says, pulling Harry down with him as he lays back.

Harry takes his time, exploring Louis’ body like he’s committing every curve and every jut of bone to memory, mapping him out, inch by inch. Louis’ muscles flex under his reverent caresses, featherlight touches skimming the surface of Louis’ desire as the need and want builds within him until he’s gasping for breath and writhing on the sheets.

Louis’ cock is hard, resting against his hip and pulsing with every heartbeat. He’s desperate for it now, to feel Harry inside him, filling him up and splitting him open.

Harry lubes up his fingers and rubs them around Louis’ rim as he sucks his cock into his mouth. He teases at the crown with his tongue, circling, toying with him until he pushes one finger past the tight ring of muscle and swallows him down whole, the hot wet heat of his mouth enveloping him.

Louis arches off the bed, hands pushed into the headboard, craning his neck to watch as Harry takes him apart, piece by piece, never to be the same again.

Harry works up to three fingers, exploring his walls and finding his prostate as Louis closes his eyes and fireworks explode behind his eyelids. “Fuck me. _Please_ , god. Need you inside. Wanna feel you,” Louis pants out, thrashing his head from side to side with abandon.

Harry pops off Louis’ cock, sliding down the bed and licking around his rim, tonguing in beside his fingers as he works him over, waves of pleasure flossing Louis’ bloodstream.

“Gonna fuck you so good, baby,” Harry murmurs into the sensitive skin of Louis’ inner thigh. “Gonna take care of you. Now, tomorrow, and forever.”

Louis hears the condom being torn open, the slick sounds of Harry getting himself ready mixing with Louis’ moans and filling the room. There could be a storm raging outside and Louis wouldn’t hear, his mind focused on this, here, Harry and him, in a bubble of pure ecstasy.

Harry pushes Louis’ legs apart and Louis opens his eyes, looking up to find Harry hovering over him propped up on one hand as the other holds his cock at Louis’ entrance, ready to guide it inside where Louis wants him the most.

“M’ready,” Louis says, soft and sultry.

Harry smiles, fringe sticking to his forehead, cheeks flushed, and a look of determination in his eyes. He’s so beautiful, all of him; his heart and soul, his body, his mind.

Harry nudges in, breaching his rim, Louis’ walls urging him inside, holding him tight. “Oh fuck, baby. So good.”

Louis wraps his legs around Harry’s hips, heels digging in at the base of Harry’s spine as Harry rocks into him slowly but surely, easing in and out with so much care and love. Louis can feel him everywhere, consuming him, taking over his every thought, his every… _everything_.

Harry builds his pace, eyes fixed firmly on Louis’ as they fit together like pieces of an intricate puzzle finally slotting into place.

“Harder. Give it to me. Wanna feel you,” Louis urges, pushing on the headboard to brace himself and give Harry more leverage.

Harry gives him what he wants, pounding into him, teeth gritted, eyes wild. Louis can feel the familiar tug in his gut, edging him closer and closer to the abyss with every strong thrust. Harry shifts his angle, pushing Louis’ knees into his chest as he hits Louis’ prostate dead on. Louis cries out, the back of his head digging into the pillow as Harry reaches between them and starts to pump Louis’ cock furiously.

“That’s it, baby,” Harry pants out. “Gonna come for me?”

Louis’ head is a mess, unable to focus on anything other than the glorious sensations shooting around his body. “Yeah. Yeah, wanna come.” 

Harry nails his prostate on the next thrust, twisting his wrist at the crown of Louis’ cock on the upstroke and that’s all Louis needs. He hurtles over the edge, painting Harry’s hand and his own stomach in come.

“Oh god. Oh _fuck_. Yes!” Harry shouts, shoving in deep, head thrown back, and pulsing into the condom. His body goes taught, trembling before he exhales, long and hard, and slows his frenetic pace. 

He moves in and out more languidly, fucking them through their highs and as they slowly come down.

Louis lowers his legs, stretching out the muscles as Harry pulls out and deals with the condom, flopping down beside Louis on his back.

They lay there for a while, breathing calming as they both stare up at the ceiling, exhausted but sated. Louis rolls on his side, propping himself on his elbow and gazing down at Harry. There are lots of things that run through his head as Harry turns to look at him; he’s gorgeous, he feels so lucky, he loves him more than anything. But the thing that comes out of Louis' mouth is none of those. “So, how long until you can go again?”

Harry stares at him for a moment, brow quirking in curiosity, before he pulls Louis on top of him. “I’ve unleashed a monster,” Harry says with a soft chuckle and kisses him quiet. “But we’re gross and I’m hungry. Come on.”

“Nooooo… wanna go again, then shower and food,” Louis whines and pouts for added effect.

“You're insatiable. How did I not know this about you?”

“Guess there are still things we have to learn about each other,” Louis says and rests his chin on Harry’s chest.

“And I can’t wait to learn them all. Love you,” Harry says and kisses him on the tip of his nose.

“Love you too. Thanks for, you know, waiting for me to catch up.”

Harry rolls them over and kisses him again, deeply, passionately, and if they don’t make it out of the bedroom for another hour, then that’s just the way it is.

~*~

Louis drags Harry by the hand through the carnival gates, past the crowds and down toward the Divinando, the afternoon skies grey with cloud cover. 

They’d enjoyed a lazy breakfast, sitting on the couch in their briefs as they’d talked over everything that had transpired and made plans for their future together. They’d decided to convert Louis’ bedroom—the smaller of the two—into a full time study and had ordered themselves desks and chairs online which will be delivered in a week or so.

There had been a fun FaceTime call with Niall and Liam who were over the moon, and somewhat relieved, that they’d finally gotten their heads out of their arses, demanding drinks soon to hear the full story. They had a good laugh over how little things actually need to change. They already live together, and were essentially acting like a couple, just without the sex, which Niall took great pleasure in pointing out.

When they finished the call, they’d headed back to bed for another round and a well-earned nap. Harry had woken Louis up with a blow job and Louis had returned the favour, only their grumbling stomachs forcing them to leave their cocoon.

Over lunch, Louis had nervously told Harry about the Divinando, showing him the little slips of paper and running through all the bizarre things that had happened. Harry had taken it all in his stride, listening intently and reassuring Louis that whatever had brought them together, no matter how unusual, was absolutely fine by him. But he was keen to see this magical machine that had finally made Louis what had been right in front of him.

They round the corner and the machine stands dormant before them. “So, this is it. This is the reason I finally caught up with you,” Louis says, motioning toward the wood and glass box.

“Wanna give it one last go?” Harry asks, wrapping his arms around Louis from behind and walking them forwards.

“You reckon we should tempt fate?”

“Sure. You're mine now, nothing, and no one, is going to take you away from me,” Harry whispers into Louis’ ear.

“Possessive much?”

“Mhmmmm… waited long enough to have you, I’m never letting you go,” Harry says and kisses Louis’ neck.

“You’re such a weirdo. How am I just finding this out?”

Harry just smiles into his skin and hums contentedly. They step forward and the machine comes to life, just like it has every other time Louis has been here. He turns to see Harry’s reaction, eyes wide as he grips onto Louis a little tighter. Louis chuckles and presses the button, the machine whirring as it prints the slip of paper, the little box sliding out to reveal the scroll.

“This is pretty cool,” Harry says, peering over Louis’ shoulder as he unrolls it to reveal the fortune.

_Your love is found, the future is now._

“Nailed it,” Louis says and turns in Harry’s embrace, rising up on his toes to kiss him.

Harry pulls back and smiles. “Definitely.”

As they walk away, Harry’s arm wrapped around Louis’ shoulder, pulling him in tightly, Louis feels like the Divinando definitely got it right, the future _is_ now, and Louis will be forever grateful that it’s with the most wonderful, perfect man by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, a kudos or comment or both would be lovely xx
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at [ jacaranda-bloom ](https://jacaranda-bloom.tumblr.com/) and if you’d like to reblog my [ Tumblr fic post ](https://jacaranda-bloom.tumblr.com/post/643132368363864064/the-future-is-now-by-jacaranda-bloom-written-for) that would be lovely!
> 
> PS If you'd like to be notified when I post other stories, you can subscribe [ here ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacaranda_bloom/).


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